Oh, Brother
by Jessica Wolfe
Summary: -one shot- My answer to a challenge that I saw on another site. "What would happen if one of the Ronin's had a twin brother that none of the other Ronins knew about?"


Author's Note: This is my answer to a challenge that I saw on another site. The challenge was "What would happen if one of the Ronins had a twin brother that none of the other Ronins knew about?" This is my take. One shot.

* * *

**Oh, Brother**

"A-a-arrow... Sh-sh-sh-shock... Wave?"

The Ronins all watched in shock as Rowen of Strata's attack flew erratically toward the Warlord of Venom... and then missed.

Rowen never missed with his sure kill attack. The Ronins all turned to stare at Rowen as Sekhmet fell to the ground laughing.

"Man, what's up with you?" asked Kento.

Rowen was shaking visibly and clutching his bow as if it would run away should he let go. The archer licked his lips nervously before answering.

"I just don't feel well today," he said lamely.

"Allow me to put you out of your misery," said Sekhmet, who had recovered.

Rowen would have been toasted by the ensuing Snake Fang Strike had Sage not darted in and grabbed his friend, pulling him to safety. Ryo, Cye, and Kento came running to make sure that their companions were okay. To their amazement they found both warriors unharmed, but Rowen had passed out. Ryo gave the archer a disgusted look before calling a retreat. Kento picked up the inert Strata and they departed to the sound of Sekhmet's laughter and catcalls.

By the time the Ronins had reached the Koji mansion, Rowen was conscious again.

"What was that back there?" asked an irate Ryo.

Rowen just looked pale and lay silent on the couch where Kento had placed him. He still hadn't removed his armor.

"Give the guy a break Ryo," said Cye. "He said he wasn't feeling well."

Ryo took a deep breath and nodded.

"I'm sorry I was hard on you Rowen," the fire warrior said, "but next time you're sick, stay home."

Rowen nodded as Mia walked in with a tray full of goodies.

"Ryo, guys, I'm glad you're back. There's been a banging noise coming from the closet and I can't get it open. Can you take a look?"

As if to punctuate her request a banging noise started in the closet across the room. Ryo nodded to Kento and the two started across the room.

"No! Don't!" cried Rowen.

"Do you know who or what is in that closet?" asked Mia.

Rowen said nothing and looked at his armored hands.

"Rowen, you'd better level with us," said Sage.

The archer seemed to shrink in on himself as he mumbled something.

"What was that?" demanded the blond swordsman.

"It's my brother," was the quiet reply.

Ryo and Kento nearly ripped the door off its hinges in their haste to get it open. A bound and gagged boy with a familiar shock of electric blue hair landed unceremoniously on the floor. He was clad only in his boxers and looked mad enough to spit nails. Kento helped him sit up and started untying him as Ryo removed the gag. The boy took a couple of deep breaths and fixed Rowen with a murderous stare.

"You little bastard," Rowen's brother yelled as he launched himself at the other boy.

Kento managed to grab the boy in the boxers before he could reach his brother. Rowen however, squeaked, developed a nose bleed, and passed out.

"Geez man," said Kento. "Did you have to be so hard on him? He's had a bad day."

"He's had... HE'S had a bad day? I'm the one who's been locked in the damn closet since last night!"

The irate boy launched himself at his unconscious brother's form again, but was stopped short by Kento's arms around his waist.

"Lemme go Kento! I'm going to pound him!"

Kento nearly lost his grip on his captive. "How do you know my name?" asked the earth warrior.

"Because I'm Rowen. That's my twin brother Ash. He's always been jealous that I was chosen to be the bearer of Strata and now he's trying to take it away from me."

"So how are we going to tell these two apart?" asked Cye.

"For the time being," said Mia pointing to the boy-in-boxers, "I think we'll call him Ash, and him," she pointed to Rowen who had begun to recover, "Rowen."

"He's not Rowen! I am!" the boy-called-Ash yelled.

Kento scratched his head. "This could be a problem."

Ash slipped out of Kento's grasp and ran upstairs before anyone could stop him. He came back a few seconds later with a blue armor orb.

"I'm Rowen," the orb wielding boy stated. "My brother couldn't find my armor orb and so he knocked me out and stripped me of my armor. Why do you think I'm running around in my boxers? I'm certainly not doing it for fun!"

Everyone turned to look at the one they thought to be Rowen.

"Wait a minuet," Cye said. "The armor is a package deal. It's not meant to be summoned by one person, then stripped off and put on by another person."

"Cye's right," said Ryo. He turned to Ash. "It'd be easy for you to go upstairs and take the orb from Rowen's room. How do we know that you're who you say you are?"

"How do you know that he's who he says he is?" asked Ash pointing to Rowen. "He couldn't even shoot the Arrow Shock Wave could he?"

Everyone turned to look at Rowen.

"Well, he kinda pulled it off," said Kento. "But he stuttered and the attack went out to left field."

"Hah!" cried Ash. "That's why he wasn't chosen to wear the armor. He never could shoot straight. Now give my armor back!"

Rowen, in truth Ash, blanched and hugged his armored chest.

"No way! You'll have to take it from me."

The other Ronins cast bewildered looks at each other. What now?

"Armor of Strata, dao inochi!" Rowen intoned.

There was a bright flash and a cloud of sakura petals obscured the Hashiba twins. When it had passed, the two boys were each clad in parts of the Strata armor.

"Dude, you guys broke it!" yelled the ever helpful Kento.

With a wordless cry Rowen launched himself at his twin and this time no one stopped him.

"Gimme back me armor you little creep!" Rowen yelled.

"You can't make me," sobbed Ash.

"Oh, stop it!" Cye yelled.

Everyone froze. It wasn't often that Cye yelled.

"You can have my armor if it means that much to you," the water warrior said offering his armor orb to the real Ash.

The other Ronins began to complain loudly, but Cye hushed them with a look.

Ash looked at Cye. "Really?"

"Sure. I hate fighting anyway."

Ash started stripping off the various parts of Strata that had clung to him and took the orb from Cye.

"It's called Torrent," Cye said. "And the virtue is trust."

"Alright," said an eager Ash. "Armor of Torrent, dao shin!"

There was another bright flash, but no sakura petals. When the light passed, Ash was unconscious on the floor. With a sigh, Cye took his armor orb from the boy's nerveless fingers.

"I guess Torrent didn't want to accept him either."

"Do you think we could let him try our armors too?" asked Kento with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"You're evil," said Ryo.

Kento just smiled.

Rowen put the last piece of Strata in a pile and tossed his orb into the middle of it. There was yet another flash and the pile of armor disappeared, leaving the orb behind.

"Do whatever you like with him," said Rowen as he picked up the orb and turned to go up the stairs. "Just make sure he never wants to take my armor again."

The four other Ronins nodded and crowded menacingly around Ash's inert form.

* * *

A few hours later Ash left the mansion in tears. Each of the other Ronins had made him try to call their armors. Each attempt had left Ash an unconscious puddle on the floor. Then they had made him promise never to try to take Strata from Rowen again. 

"I don't think he'll be sending Rowen a birthday card for a while," Sage said drily as they watched Ash pull away in the cab they'd called for him.

"Somehow, I don't think Rowen'll mind too much," Cye said.

"Rei Fuan!"

The four Ronins turned to the sound of a voice and found themselves looking at... Kento?

"I've come for your armor, brother!"

Cye, Ryo, and Sage turned to look at the bearer of Hardrock.

"Is this a bad time to mention that I have a twin?" Kento asked.

**Owari**


End file.
